Big Leaguers Notebook: Oct. 28

Freese comes up big for Cardinals in Game 6

 Hometown hero David Freese made his mark on the World Series with an epic Game 6 performance, coming through in the clutch with a game-tying triple in the bottom of the ninth before sending a pitch into the seats to give the Cardinals a walk-off win in the 11th of what many are calling one of the most exciting World Series games ever (MLB.com).

"I didn't hear much. When I rounded second, I was looking for my team. I've never had a walk-off home run in my life. Never. Ever. I've never met my team at home plate," said Freese, who picked quite the moment to blast his first walk-off bomb. (SI.com)

"It's all about knowing that this is the same game as when you're 6 years old. It's just elevated on a stage, and everyone's watching. You really have to keep reminding yourself that it really is the same game." (MLB.com)

Freese's jersey is now headed for display at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, but not before one minor addition. In the walk-off excitement at home plate, the jersey was torn from Freese's back and ripped down the back by Nick Punto, also known as "Shredder." (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

 Buckle your seat belts and hold on tight for a winner-take-all Game 7 on Friday night, baseball fans! In the words of Albert Pujols, "This is what baseball is all about." (MLB.com)

 Marc Rzepczynski's last name is pronounced "Zep-CHIN-ski," but most of his Cardinals teammates prefer his much less challenging nickname -- "Scrabble." (The New York Times)

 Major Leaguers are continuing to show their support for the tornado-affected Joplin, Mo., community with a joint donation of $200,000 from the Players Trust and MLB to help storm victims through Heart to Heart International (Joplin Globe). To find out more about how big leaguers are giving back to the community, visit the Players Trust at http://mlbplayers.mlb.com/pa/trust/.

 Twins pitchers destroyed 168 of their opponents' bats this season, but it was all for a good cause. Thanks to the Twins' effort on the mound, the Department of Natural Resources will plant 100 seedlings for every broken bat -- for a total of 16,800 new trees. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

 Josh Hamilton and Lance Berkman took to the NFL gridiron to take part in the coin toss before the Dallas Cowboys-St. Louis Rams game on Sunday, much to the delight of one Rangers superfan -- Cowboys inside linebacker Bradie James.

"Let me tell you something," said James. "I really got a feeling of how fans felt when we were on the field before the coin toss with Josh Hamilton. We leave, and Josh Hamilton threw me a ball, and I was like, 'Oh, I got a ball from Josh! So, I'm a fan." (Dallas Morning News)

 Juan Nicasio is taking huge steps in his rehab after fracturing his neck on the mound this season.

"You love the way he competes," said Rockies teammate Troy Tulowitzki of the ambitious Nicasio, who has been running, lifting and throwing with the hope of returning to the team next season. "He's so determined." (The Denver Post)

 Catch big leaguers Shane Victorino, Clay Buchholz and Daniel Murphy making a big difference for one Waynesville, Mo., family on an upcoming episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." (Philadelphia Daily News)

Tweet of the Day: "How many followers will @dfreese23 have after tonight?" -- Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain (@joba_62).

For the record, David Freese had 12,468 followers on Aug. 23. After Thursday night's World Series heroics, he jumped from 41,564 (Twitter) to 52,522 and counting!

Quote of the Day: "I know how to fly a plane, fly a helicopter, start a fire, knife fight, just fun stuff. It's just nice to accumulate that knowledge, just in case. I could land our team plane. I feel good knowing, like, I could put the 757 down on the ground, and everyone is going to give me a high-five on the way out." -- Rangers starter C.J. Wilson on his ever-growing list of eclectic talents. (FOX Sports Southwest)

This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.